Jackass star Steve-O has said that the delayed release of the long-awaited Jackass Forever isn't because of Bam Margera’s controversial lawsuit. The fourth installment in the franchise has taken over a decade to materialize, and fans were looking forward to its release next month. Unfortunately, the film has been bumped back to a February 2022 release date instead, leaving some to question whether or not this has anything to do with Margera.
From its earliest days, the Jackass franchise has always given off the impression of a close-knit group of friends having fun and challenging each other through pranks and downright stupid stunts. But as time passed, certain challenges to these seemingly good times arose. Steve-O battled a severe drug and alcohol addiction that nearly claimed his life, and in 2011, Jackass member Ryan Dunn was killed in a high-speed car crash. His death created an irreplaceable gap in the franchise’s lineup, but more importantly, it took a significant toll on all the Jackass members. However, no one has seemingly been as deeply affected by Dunn’s passing as his best friend, Margera. Embroiled in a severe drug and alcohol dependency, Margera’s health has continued to deteriorate despite help from friends and professionals.
The upcoming release of Jackass Forever has been a source of excitement for fans as well as the Jackass cast themselves, but a recent update by Johnny Knoxville revealed that the film had been pushed back to February 4, 2022. While inconvenient, it’s not a significant extension in wait time, though some confusion has still managed to spread. Steve-O recently spoke with TMZ and maintained that the delay has nothing to do with Margera’s lawsuit against Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, Spike Jonze, and Paramount. As is all too often the case over the past two years, the delay is the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read Steve-O's full explanation below:
“The release date for Jackass was pushed from October 22nd to February 4th. No, a lot of people speculate that it was because of Bam and his lawsuit. But no, it was just because of COVID. Like, the comfort level for the public to go to movie theatres has dropped down.”
In addition to clearing up any lingering rumors regarding the release of Jackass 4, Steve-O also called Margera’s pending lawsuit “absurd.” If Steve-O’s reaction to the lawsuit is any indication of how the other Jackass members feel about the entire issue, then it’s likely that sadness mixed with disbelief is a common takeaway. Steve-O prefaced his reaction to the lawsuit by insisting that he loves Margera, but the former Jackass star’s decision to sue those responsible for the creation of the franchise as well as the studio itself doesn’t sit well. Margera has consistently maintained that he did everything he was legally required to do to be a part of Jackass Forever, but he was still fired.
Given the Jackass team's initial close-knit friendship, no fan wants to see the stars of the series become so at odds with one another that legal action is required. At the same time, however, Margera’s reactions to being fired from Jackass Forever are coming from a complicated place. It is indeed sad that things have gone in this direction, and audiences can only hope that Margera can find the peace of mind that he needs. In the meantime, they will have to be satisfied with seeing most of the original band back together in Jackass Forever.
Source: TMZ